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weles
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profile trouble - advise,pls 14 Dec 2009, 14:35
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Hi,
I would appreciate your opinion. I do not know anything about US and Canadian academic system and admission policy.

I am thinking of PhD in Management (or Strategy) at two BS: Carlson (UoM) and Rotman (UoT). However, my profile is rather non-standard so I will put some highlights.
I am from Poland, 33 years old. I have recently graduated best b-school in Poland (and top in CEE region) but I did it with 2 attempts: 3 years between 1995-1998, then I quit to take up a job (family&financial reas.) and finally readmitted in 2008 and graduated last October.

Details:
*edu:
-MA in Management (5-year program)
-GPA: 4.2/(5.0)5.5 scale which seems to be app. 3.2-3.3/4 scale. Final avg. 4.7/(5.0)5.5, which includes GPA, final exam (major+economy 5.0/5.5), dissertation (highest poss. grade from promoter and revisor 5.5/5.5)
-even though not obligatory I have taken final exams and defended BA in Management with similar results
-last 2 semesters GPA over 3.5/4.0
- currently admitted to PhD Management program at my school
*prerequisites
-mathematics (Calculus and Algebra equivalent - total 4 semesters) and statistics (2 semesters) but both with poor results (I was young and stupid) - 2.0-2.2/4
-econometrics (1 semester) - 3.0/4.0
-economics basics - 3.3/4.0, advanced microeconomics - 3.3/4.0, macroeconomics - 3.0/4.0
-other: accounting - 4.0/4.0, marketing research - 4.0/4.0, strategic management -4.0/4.0, finance-4.0/4.0
*work:
-almost 10 years mostly in financial services, automotive and B2B service outsourcing. generally sales dept., ended as commercial manager
*no publications (1 in progress) or academic research
some research and projects during professional career also expert presentations and workshop at numerous conferences
*some extras: volunteer at Children’s University of Economics and Academy of Young Economist (TA); coordinator and project owner at newly established Association of Car Fleet Mngmt Companies - successful lobbying to set accounting and taxation standards for developing operational leasing services
*standardized test-heck, here is the problem. I took GMAT twice:
-first: quant.-43, verb.-30 and total 610
-second: quant.-38, verb.-38 and total 640
I know it is very poor performance and rather not covers my low grades (math and stats). I do not expect great results but according to prep tests and combined two real test I am able to get app. 670-680.
*recommendation
I can expect very good LORs - from my supervisor and reviewers of BA and MA dissertations - but they are not worldwide known professors. One plus - my supervisor is adjunct professor at Carlson

Now I would really cry for help:
-is my age (33) an issue
-is 640 good enough for Carlson or Rotman or should I wait a year and retake (I think that admission board will look only for last result and will not notice that I am able to get higher quant. scores)
-do you know any other reasonable choice suiting better my profile

Thanks in advance!
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cabro57
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profile trouble - advise,pls 17 Dec 2009, 08:43
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weles
-is my age (33) an issue
-is 640 good enough for Carlson or Rotman or should I wait a year and retake (I think that admission board will look only for last result and will not notice that I am able to get higher quant. scores)
-do you know any other reasonable choice suiting better my profile
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I don't know anything about Management/Strategy but here's what I'd guess --

1) your age isn't an issue
2) 640 sounds low at either schools, esp. given your GPA. However, your quant/economics background is probably good enough. I think there are plenty of lower tier schools that would take a shot at you, but Rotman especially has been trying hard to improve its prestige at the PhD level so I would expect their standards to become more and more restrictive.
3) no clue -- someone in strategy might help you out better here.

Hope this little bit helps!
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air1980
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profile trouble - advise,pls 18 Dec 2009, 17:50
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Sorry, but, at Rotman, I think there is no shot with a 640 (probably not a Carlson either). Cabro is correct they are working to become a top PhD program and the standards are high.
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guacamole
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profile trouble - advise,pls 19 Feb 2010, 15:49
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Why have you selected only those two schools? If you are interested in strategy and willing to go to Canada, I would suggest that you consider applying to Ivey School of Business at University of Western Ontario, about two hours from Toronto. I am currently a student there, although not in strategy, and can tell you that we have many excellent strategy/management reserachers here. In fact, the GM area group is the largest group by far. We have students of all ages, some even in their 50's, so your age shouldn't be an issue. Even your GMAT might be of little issue if you can sell the committee on why you would be a worthy candidate.

I think your Polish background might be a plus because we have excellent international business researchers here who might see great potential in your knowledge and connections. I would argue that Poland is one of the more interesting emerging economies of the EU, and with the transition from communism to capitalism there are still many interesing areas for research within the Polish context. I would focus on crafting a good letter of research interest first and foremost because I know from talking to profs around here that if you can capture their interest with that, the other things such as your GMAT are a bit less important. Plus, your age is what it is, you can't do anything about that at all, so put it out of your mind! I would suggest thinking about it a bit more in depth and then try contacting a few profs here and see where that gets you.
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